Northside commuters may be waiting until after the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games before work begins on the proposed Gympie Road Bypass Tunnel, a nine-kilometre bypass between Carseldine and Kedron designed to ease congestion along one of Brisbane’s busiest transport corridors.
Read: Gympie Road Named Among Brisbane’s Worst Peak-Hour Routes
The project’s delivery timeline has come under renewed attention after Cr Adrian Schrinner indicated in his recent budget speech that the tunnel would be among the first major projects to commence following the 2032 Games.
The comments have sparked debate about when construction could begin on the transport project, which has been promoted as a solution to persistent traffic congestion affecting motorists across Brisbane’s northside.
Gympie Road remains one of Queensland’s busiest arterial roads, serving as a key transport corridor through suburbs including Chermside, Aspley, Kedron and Carseldine. Traffic delays are particularly noticeable around major intersections including Hamilton Road, Rode Road, Stafford Road and Beams Road.
Questions over delivery timeline
Attention turned to the project’s schedule after Cr Schrinner referred to the tunnel as one of the first major infrastructure projects expected to begin immediately after the 2032 Games.
Opposition Leader Steven Miles argued the comments suggested residents could face several more years of congestion before any relief arrives. He said congestion on Gympie Road was already affecting motorists across Brisbane’s northside.
Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg did not provide a specific timeframe for construction when questioned about the project, stating that planning work was continuing as previously outlined.
Labor transport spokesman Bart Mellish also raised concerns about the future funding pathway for the tunnel, noting that planning and pre-construction funding allocated in previous budgets is approaching the end of its current funding period.
Cr Schrinner’s office later clarified that the comments reflected the scale and complexity of major tunnel projects, which typically require lengthy planning and delivery timeframes. The office noted that other significant underground infrastructure projects in Brisbane have taken many years to progress from planning to construction.
What is the Gympie Road Bypass Tunnel?
The Gympie Road Bypass Tunnel is a proposed nine-kilometre, two-lane tolled bypass connecting Carseldine and Kedron. The project would include a seven-kilometre tunnel designed to run broadly alongside the existing Gympie Road corridor.
The proposal was announced in June 2024 and has been progressed by North Brisbane Infrastructure, a subsidiary of Queensland Investment Corporation. The tunnel is intended to provide an alternative route for through traffic travelling along Brisbane’s northside and ease congestion along Gympie Road.
For Chermside residents, the proposal has attracted particular attention because planning investigations identified several potential tunnel entry and exit locations within the suburb.
A report released last year identified eight possible access points in the Chermside area. Many details remain unresolved, including the final design, delivery schedule and funding arrangements.
Read: Gympie Road, Chermside Among Queensland’s Congestion Hotspots
Planning review underway
The Department of Transport and Main Roads is currently reviewing planning work previously undertaken by Queensland Investment Corporation.
According to the department, responsibility for the proposed tunnel was formally transferred on 1 July 2025. The review is continuing as authorities assess planning completed to date and consider the project’s next stages.
For now, motorists travelling through Chermside and surrounding suburbs continue to navigate one of Brisbane’s busiest road corridors while awaiting greater certainty on when the proposed bypass could move from planning into construction.
Published 23-June-2026
